site.btaEnergy Regulator Endorses 20% Hike of Natgas Price, Effective June 1

Sofia, June 1 (BTA) - Bulgaria's Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) has endorsed a price of 45.27 leva/MWh for natural gas, effective June 1, 2021, the regulator said in a press release on Monday. The new price, which excludes the charges for access, transmission, excise duty and VAT, is 20 per cent higher than its May 1 level (37.71 per cent) and 122 per cent up from June 1, 2020.

The EWRC specified that despite the natural gas price hike, the heat and electricity prices will be unchanged as from June 1, 2021.

The press release lists three reasons for the natural gas price rise: the ongoing increase of prices on international gas markets; the fact that Bulgargaz has had to purchase the amounts of gas it needs at spot prices from other suppliers because the TurkStream gas pipeline is being repaired in the territory of Turkey in June; and the smaller amounts of gas from Azerbaijan entering Bulgaria at Kulata-Sidirokastro than those capable of being transmitted through the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) between Komotini and Stara Zagora, whose commissioning has been postponed for the middle of next year. LN/LG